Knitting machine and method



' Aug. 17, 1965 o. FREGEOLLE KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 18. 1960 A TTORNE Y Aug. 17, 1965 o. FREGEOLLE KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 18. 1960 INVEN TOR. OSCAR FREGEOLLE.

A T TORNE Y Aug. 17, 1965 o. FREGEOLLE KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 18. 1960 INVEN TOR. OSCAR FREGEOLLE AJJJJ JJ F NN? \FAH N K lElPb FL 111. ll mlllli A TTORNE Y Aug. 17, 1965 o. FREGEOLLE KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD '9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 18. 1960 INVEN TOR. OSCAR FREGEOLLE A TTORNEY Aug. 17, 1965 o. FREGEOLLE KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 18, 1960 INVENTOR. 080A! FREGEOLLE Aug. 17, 1965 o. FREGEOLLE 3,200,618

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed July 18. 1960 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

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rgul hffwzfw i A TTORNE Y' Aug. 17, 1965 o. FREGEOLLE KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD 9 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed July 18, 1960 INVEN Tax. OscAR Fmsszouz.

Aug. 17, 1965 o. FR EGEOLLE 3,200,618

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed July 18, 1960 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 40 IN VEN TOR.

OSCAR FREGEOLLE.

A TTORNE Y Aug. 17, 1965 o. FREGEOLLE KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed July 18, 1960 INVENTOR.

OSCAR FREGEOLLE.

A TTORNEY I United States Patent 3,2il9,6i3 KNITTING MACHENE AND Uscar Fregeolle, Lincoln, RR, assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Masa, a corporation of Maine Filed July 18, 1960, Ser. No. 43,609 2 (ilairns. (6!. 66-64) This invention relates to improvements in circular, independent needle, knitting machines and, particlularly, to a method and apparatus for knitting fashioned hosiery.

It is the general object of the invention to improve the knitting of fabrics wherein a body yarn is drawn over .the backs and behind the nibs of sinkers, the sinker loops then being passed from the backs of the nibs to the throats of the sinkers, by increasing the degree to which fashioning has heretofore been possible in that type of knitting.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide an improved method of knitting fine gauge hosiery, and especially ladies seamless hosiery, wherein the length of stitches or knitted loops may be varied from a maximum in the welt and upper leg portions of the stocking down to a minimum in the ankle portion while still utilizing to full extent the benefits of knitting over the backs of sinkers.

It is a further object to improve the appearance of fine gauge hosiery by eliminating the need for stretching the hosiery in order to bring down the ankle size, whereby the number of courses per inch remains unchanged throughout. 7

It is a further object to provide novel sinker cams for a circular, independent needle, knitting machine which will function to streamline sinker action and which will selectively cooperate with the needles to reduce stitch lengths as desired whereby the limits of fashioning have been increased and the physical appearance of the knitted article has been enhanced by perfectly uniform and symmetrical loop structure.

It is a further object to provide a novel control mechanism for the sinker casting off cam whereby that cam may be moved either in increments or in a single move between an inner and an outer position.

It is a still further object to increase the number of .steps in a circular knitting machine in a very simple and inexpensive manner by providing an auxiliary pattern drum operable independently of the main pattern drum and from which the control mechanism for the casting off cam may derive indications.

A further object is that of drawing both loosely knitted stitches and very tightly knitted stitches in a fabric by drawing behind sinker nibs while avoiding cutting of loops during casting off.

Further objects will be apparent from the description to follow.

' United States Patents 2,374,857 and 2,37 6,044 disclose a method of knitting in which a base yarn, instead of being drawn in front of the nibs of sinkers as in the conventional practice, is drawn over the backs of those nibs to produce a uniform and symmetrical loop structure in fine gauge knitting. Such a method has been widely accepted throughout the ladies hosiery industry as being far superior to the conventional method of knitting in that a much improved appearing fabric results. The method according to the teachings of those patents had the limitation, however, of not being able to produce a stocking in which the limits of fashioning were as broad as desired, that is, wherein the welt of the stocking was full size and at the same time the ankle portion small enough to fit properly and tightly. A pro-boarding operation has been considered more or less necessary during the finishing of the stocking in order to keepthe ankle size at a minimum. I

Biddfild Patented Aug. 1?, 1965 According to the present invention, a novel method and apparatus have been devised whereby it is now possible to reduce the ankle size of fine gauge circularly knitted hosiery to a minimum and at the same time to keep the welt portion relatively large while still utiliz-' ing the benefits of knitting over the backs of sinkers. Briefly, this is accomplished by progressively withdrawing the cast ofi" point of sinkers outwardly of the needle cylinder as the length of the knitted loops is being gradually shortened. This minimizes the stretching upon the previously formed sinker loops in the throats of the sinkers which have already been measured, which stretching takes place during casting off of those loops over the tops of needles. In this manner tighter loops can be knitted without any fear of cutting during casting oif.

Additionally, the sinker fiopper cam has been modified to improve still further the appearance of the fabric by eliminating firing of sinkers as they are moved inwardly by that cam, to delay that inward movement somewhat and also to eliminate the necessity of making changes to the needle cams when converting from conventional knitting to knitting over the backs of sinkers.

A separate pattern drum has been provided in accordance with one modification of the invention which is independent of the main pattern drum in is operation and from which movement of the sinker cams in controlled. This drum greatly increases the number of available steps of the machine for control of other functions as well.

Further advantages will be apparent by reference to the following description and drawings, wherein:

PEG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention illustrating the auxiliary pattern drum and the control mechanism for the sinker cams as applied to one type of knitting machine;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but looking from the rear and side of the machine;

FIG 3 is a front elevation, partly in section, illustrating the control of the casting off cam by means of vertical cylinder movement;

FIG. 4 shows a portion of the lower part of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the auxiliary pattern drum, partly in section, as seen from the rear of the machine;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a small portion of the pattern chain and its associated ratchet wheel;

FIG. 7is an end elevational viewof the auxiliary drum and its associated mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view, partly broken away, of the auxiliary drum and its ratchet and pawl means for 'advancin g the same;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7 and including the rat-ching means for the main pattern drum and the pattern chain;

FIG. 10 shows a small section of the needle cams including one of the stitch cams;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the fiopper cam;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a part of the sinker cam control mechanism;

FIG. 13 is a side view of a part of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the sinker head and sinker cap;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the sinker cap and a part of the cam control mechanism;

FIGS. 16 to 19 illustrate relative positions of the sinker casting off and hopper cams in the positions they occupy during the knitting of various portions of an article of hosiery being knitted; and

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the invention as applied to another well known knitting machine.

In the drawings, FIGS. 1, 3 and 14, the invention is seen as applied to a conventional knitting machine for the reverse is true.

ladies seamless hosiery and having a framework 21, a needle cylinder 22, cylinder support 23, sinker head 24, sinkers 25 and sinker cap as. The particular machine illustrated is of the. type in which the needle cylinder may be either rotated or reciprocated while the needle cams are relatively fixed although the advantages of the invention may be fully realized on a machine in which Accordingly, the sinker cap is oscillatable to a certain extent during reciproc-atory knitting, the limits thereof being established by a fixed stop member 27 and adjustable members 23 and 29 attached to the sinker cap, FIG.

It is normal practice to shape or fashion the leg portion of circularly knit-ted ladies hosiery by progressively changing the vertical relationship between the measuring edges of the sinkers and the knitting cams, thereby to vary the length of loops being knitted. Since the sinkers are carried in the sinker head whichitself is supported by the cylinder, fashioning may be accomplished either by progressive vertical movement of the cylinder in one direction or of the knitting cams in the opposite direction. For the purposes of illustration the drawings relate to a machine in which the cylinder 22 is vertically movable in small increments as determined by ca-m controlled means (not shown) acting upon the lower surface of the cylinder support. An arm 30 is integral with and extends laterally from the support and has fixed thereto a vertical rod Ell to the upper end of which is attached a hold-down arm 32 having an adjustable screw 33 adapted to engage the upper surface of the sinker cap. At the lower end of the rod one end of a compression spring 34 acts upon a collar 35 fixed to rod 3-1 to urge the cap downwardly as the cylinder is being lowered. The other end of the spring acts against a fixed surface 36 (FIG. 4) forming a part of the frame 21. The function of the hold-down arm is to maintain the cylinder in contact with its support against the friction of the needles. An adjustable stop member 37 establishes the lower limit of movement of the cylinder support upon contact with the fixed surface 38. A support S fixed to the side of the sinker cap engages a roller bearing R to prevent displacement of the cap by the screw 33 (FIG. 3).

The present invention is particularly adapted to be applied to a knitting method and apparatus as disclosed in United States Patents 2,374,857 and 2,376,044, the disclosures in which are hereby incorporated into this application. According to those patents and the'present invention, the measuring and drawing of the body yarn takes place over the backs and behind the nibs 3-9 of the sinkers rather than in the front of the nibs as in the conventional practice. Previously formed needle loops are cast ofi by means of the sinkers acting upon the intervening previously formed sinker loops only and not the newly formed ones, and causing the latter to pass from the backs over the tops of the ribs and into the throats of the sinkers. In this manner straining and deformation of the previously formed loops are kept at a minimum to result in a much improved appearing fabric. A hopper cam 4i (FIG, 15) moves the sinkers inwardly of the cylinder to permit the body yarn to be laid, measured and drawn over a drawing surface behind the nibs of the sinkers after a centercam 41 has effected withdrawal of the .sinkers to cause the newly formed loops to pass from the backs and into the throats thereof. A casting off cam 42 underlies the hopper cam, both being pivotally mounted on the cap at 43. A spring 44 acts upon an ear 45 extending outwardly from one end of the hopper cam to urge the eifective surface of the latter outwardly of the cylinder and a similar spring 46 acts upon an ear 4-7 formed integral with the casting off cam .(FIGS. 14 to 19). i V The fiopper and casting oif cams are controlled in a manner nowto be described. These cams each have a second ear-48 and 49, respectively, extending outwardly therefrom and to which are attached vertical actuating pins so and 51. A bracket 52 has a slideable rod 53 mounted therein which is biased toward the pin by a compression spring 54. The rod is connected to a Bowden wire cable 55 suit-ably supported on a fixed bracket 56. The cable is actuated at its opposite end by one arm of a bell crank lever 57 (FIGS. 5 and 7). Similarly, a rod 58 maintains contact with the pinfl by means of a spring 59 and is connected to a Bowden wire cable 60 which in turn is actuated by bell crank lever at.

A main pattern drum 62, is mounted across the rear of the machine, its movement being effected periodically in a clockwise direction by means of a pawl 63 and ratchet wheel as under control of a pattern chain65 itself being continually ratcheted in the same direction by means of a second pawl 66 and ratchet wheel 67, in known manner and as disclosed in United States Patents 2,422,568 and 2,827,780. In order to increase the number of steps of such a machine and accordingly the versatility thereof, an auxiliary pattern drum generally denoted'by the arrow 68 (FIG. '5) is co-axially attached to the main patter-ndrum but its movements are eifected independently of those of the main drum as will be explained. The auxiliary drum may be substantially identical in construction to the jack selecting pattern drums disclosed in United- States Patent 2,217,022 and which include a series of super-imposed pattern discs 69 each having frangible butts 79 (FIG. 7) around the outer periphery thereof. A friction device 71 serves to maintain the drum in a fixed position along its axis 72. The auxiliaiy drum has a ratchet wheel 73 fixed to the base thereof which is periodically advanced by a pawl 74 of novel construction. .The latter pawl is mounted on an extension of the stud 75 which is oscillated by one arm 76 of a bell crank lever about a pivot 77. Theother arm 78 of that lever supports the pawl es. It will thus be evident that the pawl 63 forratcheting the main-pattern drum and the pawl 74 for ratcheting the auxiliary pattern drum are act-uable to effect simultaneous ratcheting of their respective drums. They may do so, however, selectively in a manner independent of each other as will be explained. The pawl 66, on the other hand, acts during the withdrawal stroke of pawls rs and 74.

Since the arm 76 is being continuously oscillated by any suitable known means (not shown), both of the pawls 6'3 and 74 would effect a simultaneous movement of their respective ratchet wheels. One or both of the pawls may be withheld from action in any sequence desired. The main ratchet pawl includes .a pin 79 extending laterally therefrom which is engageable with a depending arm 8% fixed to a reciprocab'le stud 81. A cam follower arm 82 is also fixed to the sarne'arrn and is adapted to be aifected by a series of cams 83 of variable 1 eight spaced about the circumference of them-aim pattern drum. The height of these cams thereby controls the extent to which the main drum is rotated according to the depth to which the pawl 63 is allowed to be inserted into the slots 8% formed on the periphery of the ratchet wheel 64.. This manner of control of adavncernent of the main pattern drum is not novel herein and is disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,927,447.

The auxiliary ratchet pawl 74 includes a side plate $5 attached thereto which has a loweredge generally coextensive with the pawl itself except for a concave cut-out portion 86 (FIGS. 7 and 8). A follower'arm 86' is pivoted at 87 and adapted to be influenced by lugs 88 formed on links of the pattern chain. The opposite end of the 'arm has a pin 39 depending therefrom which terminates in a horizontally extending portion 9%} adapted to engage the lower edge of the pawl. In those portions of the pattern chain where no lugs 88 appear, the pin 89 acts to lift the free end of the pawl 74- sufliciently to render it completely inactive. The pawl 74 is further controllable so that during such times when it is not under the influence of the pin 89, it may be rendered effective over'a portion only of its stroke instead ofover the complete length of the stroke. That mechanism comprises an arm 91 pivoted at its lower end at 92 and including a follower portion 93 engageable with one of the discs 69 on the auxiliary drum 68. The upper end of that arm is linked to a second arm 94 also pivoted at 87. The arm 91 includes a pin 95 extending horizontal therefrom and adapted to engage the lower edge of the side plate 85, note FIGS. 7 and 8. Thus, when it is desired to move the ratchet wheel 73 only a short distance, say two teeth, for example, then butts will appear on the pattern disc 69 which affects the follower 93 to push the pin 95 against the lower edge of the side plate 85 so that the latter rides on the pin to keep the pawl 74 out of action until the cut-out portion 86 causes the pawl to be lowered again and to move the ratchet wheel a distance equivalent to two teeth thereof on the end of the stroke of the pawl. Additionally, a slotted disc 96 (FIG. 9) is placed adjacent the ratchet wheel 73 and underlying the pawl 74 in part to aid the latter in its proper engagement of the ratchet teeth.

The bell crank lever 57 includes a follower member 97 engageable with one of the pattern discs and the bell crank lever 61 includes a similar member (not shown) thereby to control movement of the cables 55 and 60 and also of the fiopper and casting 01f cams, respectively. The casting off cam is further controllable independently of the arm 61 in a manner and for a purpose now to be described. In the past when knitting fine gauge hosiery over the backs of sinkers according to the method disclosed in United States Patents 2,374,857 and 2,376,044, shaping or fashioning was subject to the undesirable limitation that the ankle portion of the hosiery could not be knitted as small as was desirable while still maintaining the welt portion comparatively large. It has now been discovered that this was due to the fact that the casting off point of the sinkers Was fixed. Therefore, since the distance between the throats of the sinker nibs and the hooks of the needles was constant throughout the fashioning cycle, the loops were stretched slightly as they were cast off, the stretching progressing as the length of loops was gradually decreased. According to the present invention that distance is decreased at substantially the same rate at which the length of loops being drawn is decreasing so that in any given course the loops are subjected to the same stress and strain as the loops in every other course to produce an article of hosiery which not only is of top quality in its appearance but also has a substantially smaller ankle size than it has heretofore been possible to achieve. Specifically, this is accomplished by progressively withdrawing the sinker casting or point outwardly of the needle cylinder as fashioning takes place. For thi purpose an additional control has been provided for the casting off cam 42 and which includes a bell crank lever pivoted at 98 upon an arm 99 extending outwardly from the rod 31. One arm 161 of that lever engages the upper edge of a sleeve memher 101 which is vertically adjustable by means of a screw 1512 adapted to engage a horizontal surface 1113 on the frame 21 and with respect to which the sleeve generally remains fixed. The other arm 104 of the lever is adapted to engage the end of an adjustable member 1415 fixed to an end of the cable 60. It will now be evident that as the cylinder support 23, the rod 31 and its arm 99 all move downwardly in an intermittent fashion, the arm 104 will simultaneously cause the casting off cam 42 to be withdrawn to the left as seen in FIG. 3 or outwardly of the cylinder.

Reference to FIGS. 16 to 19 will indicate the configuration of the casting off and flopper cams as well as the relative positions of the two with respect to the cylinder at various stages in the knitting cycle. The cam 40 includes an active camming surface between the arrows a and b (FIG. 18) for smoothly affecting the butts 106 of the sinkers to move the latter inwardly and without any firing whereby the sinkers are positioned to have the yarn drawn behind their nibs. From points 12 to c on the flopper cam the sinkers are substantially radially motionless while needles are measuring the yarn and forming new stitches. At 0? the sinkers are moved inwardly to cause the previously formed sinker loops to be cast off. The active surface of the fiopper cam between d and e is concentric with the needle cylinder, unlike any previous construction, in order to keep the newly formed stitches taut inside the needle circle thus to prevent the needle, as it is being raised, from passing up through the newly formed stitch. This eliminates the need of altering needle cams to prevent such an occurrence as had been necessary in the method of Patents 2,374,857 and 2,376,044. This may be further clarified by reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 which illustrate needle cam positions 0', d and e corresponding to sinker cam positions 0, d and e. As needle butts pass in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 10 they are raised immediately after reaching the lowermost point on stitch cam S according to conventional practice on such a machine. In order to avoid the necessity of altering the stitch cam S and the adjacent guard cam G, the flopper cam is made concentric to the cylinder between points d and e.

The casting off cam 42 ha a leading edge 107 effective during conventional knitting to move the sinkers inwardly to a casting off point 1418 after stitches have been formed in the usual manner in the front of the nibs, as well as at certain other times as will now be be explained. The relative positions of the casting off and fiopper cams at various points in the knitting of ladies hosiery are illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 19. FIG. 16 represents the cam positions in the welt portion of the stocking which is normally knitted in the conventional manner in which case the flopper cam 4t is withdrawn to its inactive position as shown while the casting off cam is at its innermost position. Of course, the welt could, if desired, be knitted over the backs of sinkers in which case both cams would be in their innermost positions as seen in FIG. 17. This figure also represents the positions at the beginning of the leg or knee portion of the stocking. It is to be noted that the only portion of the casting oif cam which is effective upon sinkers at this time is that surface immediately adjacent the cast off point 108. As fashioning starts to take place as the angle is being approached, the casting off cam 42 is progressively withdrawn by the control mechanism above described until casting olf is under complete control of the fiopper cam as shown in FIG. 18. Then, in the heel and toe of the stocking the flopper cam is again withdrawn to an inactive position while the cam 42 re mains in the position shown in FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 illustrates the application of the cam control mechanism to the well known Scott 8: Williams machine which includes a needle cylinder 1119, sinker cap 111D, a cyhnder support 111, and a vertically movable holdd-own arm 112 effective to maintain the sinker cap in position as the cylinder and its support are moved vertically during fashioning. The flopper cam 41) and casting off cam 42 are of identical structure to earns 46 and 42 and are controlled by actuating members 113 and 1114, respectively, in a known manner. In order to provide for additional progressive withdrawal of the cast-ing off cam 42', a horizontally extending arm 115 is attached at one end to the hold-down arm 112 and at its other end is connected by a linking member 116 to one arm 117 of a bell crank lever pivoted at 118 to a fixed support 119. The other arm 12d of the bell crank lever is adapted to act upon a pin 121 protruding from the actuating memher 114. It will be evident again that lowering of the needle cylinder and support during fashioning will produce a progressive withdrawal of the casting off cam 42.

Prior to applicants invention it was necessary, in order to reduce the ankle size down .to acceptable limits, to stretch the stocking during the preboarding operation. This resulted in fewer courses per inch in the ankle area whereby the color density of the article was no longer uniform. Since the ankle is knitted to finish size in applicants method and apparatus, that disadvantage has been overcome.

- Further, the new fiopper cam is designed so that its leading edge delays inward movement of the sinkers until just after the latches of adjacent needles have begun to c1ose.- This assures that the fabric will be carnmed down to be received in the sinker throats instead of the nibs passing under the fabric with a failure in casting off.

An additional advantage is realized when knitting in the welt according to the present invention especially when light yarns are being used. At that time the sinker casting off cam is at its innermost position as relatively long loops are being knitted. That position of the casting off cam maintains tension on the loops as they are being cast off with the result that they retain the uniformity imparted to them as they were passed up over the nibs and into the sinker throats.

While in the two illustrations shown, fashioning has been disclosed as being achieved by lowering of the needle cylinder, it is to be understood that theinvention may also be applied to knitting machines employing vertically fixed needle cylinders wherein fashioning takes place :by raising the cam blocks as in the Hemphill knitting machines.

While one embodiment and a modification of the invention have been disclosed, it is to be'understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways' This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim:

'1. In a circular, independent needle, knitting machine adapted to draw a base yarn over the backs and behind the ni'bs of sinkers, a vertically movable sinker head adapted to vary the length of stitch-es to be knitted, a sinker cam cap overlying said sinker head, a flopper cam pivoted on the cap, a pattern controlled means for operating said fiopper cam, a casting olT cam adjacent said fiopper. cam and pivoted on said cap, means for withdrawing-said casting off cam progressively and in unison with lowering of said sinker head, and further pattern controlled means for effecting movement of said casting ofi cam to its full extent in a-single move.

2. In a circular, independent needle, knitting machine adapted to draw .a base yarn over the backs and behind the nibs of sinkers, a vertically movable sinker head adapted to vary the length of stitches to be knitted, a sinker cam cap overlying said sinker head, a hopper cam pivoted on the cap, a pattern controlled means for operating said fiopper cam, a casting off cam adjacent said floppcr cam and pivoted on said cap, means for Withdrawing said casting oif cam progressively and in unison with lowering of said sinker head, a main pattern drum, an auxiliary pattern drum having 'cam members thereon and operable independently of said main drum, and means controlled by said cam members for effecting movement of said casting oil cam to its full extent in a single move.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner. "RUSSELL c. MADER, Examiner. 

1. IN A CIRCULAR, INDEPENDENT NEEDLE, KNITTING MACHINE ADAPTED TO DRAW A BASE YARN OVER THE BACKS AND BEHIND THE NIBS OF SINKERS, A VERTICALLY MOVABLE SINKER AND ADAPTED TO VARY THE LENGTH OF STITCHES TO BE KNITTED, A SINKER CAM CAP OVELRYING SAID SINKER HEAD, A FLOPPER CAM PIVOTED ON THE CAP, A PATTERN CONTROLLED MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID FLOPPER CAM, A CASTING OFF CAM ADJACENT SAID FLOPPER CAM AND PIVOTED ON SAID CAP, MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING SAID CASTING OFF CAM PROGRESSIVELY AND IN UNISON WITH LOWERING OF SAID SINKER HEAD, AND FURTHER PATTERN CONTROLLED MEANS FOR EFFECTING MOVEMENT OF SAID CASTING OFF CAM TO ITS FULL EXTENT IN A SINGLE MOVE. 